'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Justin Gaethje managed to change Khabib Nurmagomedov's mind about him. The two are set to clash on Fight Island this weekend in a Lightweight title unification bout. If Khabib Nurmagomedov beats Justin Gaethje, then he will be 29-0.
This would make him just one fight away from achieving an unprecedented 30-0 record in MMA. Speaking to Yahoo! Sports (H/T The Body Lock), Khabib Nurmagomedov gave his thoughts on his 30-0 record:
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Nurmagomedov said. “30-0 is going to be great. It’s looking good, it sounds good."
Khabib Nurmagomedov said that going 30-0 would make him the Floyd Mayweather of MMA:
“30-0, okay. It’s going to be a great record, this is like Mayweather in MMA. We’ll see, I’m very close to it.”
When asked about his legacy, Khabib Nurmagomedov acknowledged Justin Gaethje but respectfully felt that he had done enough to cement an unforgettable legacy for his Conor McGregor fight alone:
“Who knows?” Nurmagomedov said. “Okay, I finish Justin Gaethje, I finish one more guy, I dominate him—I think my name is going to be always in history,” Nurmagomedov said. “I think already my name is going to be in history because two years ago what happened [against McGregor] is never going to be forgotten. Even after 50 years, people are going to watch this fight and be impressed. This is like when Muhammad Ali fought [Joe] Frazier in Manila. People never forget this fight."
Who could be #30 if Khabib Nurmagomedov gets past Justin Gaethje?
The fight that Khabib Nurmagomedov is likely targeting for 2021 will be one against Georges St-Pierre. He has a lot of options waiting for him, and if Conor McGregor defeats Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 in January, then it may be enough for him to secure another title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
For his legacy, Georges St-Pierre would be an ideal opponent. However, it all depends on the UFC's plans and if the talks go through smoothly without any hiccups.
